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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25894522">Trust Me, I’ll Trust You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/reysaytlsdead/pseuds/reysaytlsdead'>reysaytlsdead</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Divergence, F/F, Imbalance Comics (Avatar), Toph is gay, do it clap, everyone’s 18+ in the comics, fight me, good ol gaang time, i promise it’ll be good, katara and toph are pals, liling is really mean, this is brainrot, tophling supremacy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:33:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25894522</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/reysaytlsdead/pseuds/reysaytlsdead</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Content heavily based off the Imbalance comics, read them first! Basically, I wanted a different plot for the comics. Yaling and Ru want to stop their mother, Toph may or may not join them and then completely fall in love with Yaling.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Toph/Yaling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey y’all, I just wanted to give something to the tophling nation. There will be more posted regularly, I just wanted to get the first bit up and see what everyone thinks. Let me know!! &lt;3 (Also, published this first chapter on my phone, I’m sorry if the formatting is wack.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yaling was well aware of the risk that came with asking for metal bending lessons from the avatar’s friend, but she couldn’t help smiling as she watched the earthbender walk away. Ru immediately recognized Yaling’s fascination with Toph as more than just the desire to learn the new form of earthbending and warned her older sister to not get involved with the girl.</p><p>The two sisters were close, they knew everything about the other, which made them such a dangerous duo to their enemies. Ru’s exceptional observational skills combined with Yaling’s mastery of earthbending made the siblings perfect for their mother’s missions. They didn’t enjoy the missions themselves, just enjoyed the praise they got from their mother after they succeeded. The relationship the two had with their mother was...complicated. However, the two sisters enjoyed the other’s company most of the time, and had a great relationship, besides the small disagreement every once in a while.</p><p>“Yaling, what are you doing?” Ru asked tiresomely. She was used to her sister’s antics by now, and judging by the smile on Yaling’s face, Toph had peaked her interests.</p><p>“Ru, it’s fine. I just want lessons! She’s created and mastered a new form of bending!” Yaling spoke back at her sister as she walked through the hall to her room. Right now, the sisters butted heads over keeping their plans to end the rebellion their own way safe, and that meant little contact with strangers and with close supporters of their mother’s cause. Ru upheld this practice, but Yaling was about to endanger their plans to go flirt with a stubborn metalbender.</p><p>“Ok, sure, but can I remind you who she is? For one, she’s a potential enemy of the rebellion-“ Ru argued, frantically gesturing with her hands. Yaling turned and crossed her arms, getting close to Ru.</p><p>“She could help us take down mom.” Yaling whispered. Ru raised her eyebrows. Yaling had such a high opinion of Toph even after only knowing her for less than 5 minutes.</p><p>“Well yes, she’s obviously going to fight against mom at some point, but come on! She’s an executive partner of the most impressive mechanical factory. Mom hates her type, what would she think if she saw you with her? She’d know we were up to something.” Ru whispered back, trying desperately to convince her headstrong sister to back off. Yaling shrugged. Ru pinched her nose and sighed, deciding on a different approach.</p><p>“Well clearly you don’t care about that... may I remind you that she’s only gonna be here for like, a week?” Ru tried to convince her sister, but she knew Yaling would go anyway. Yaling pouted.</p><p>“I just think she’s cool. I wanna spend some time with her, get to know her! That’s not illegal is it?” Yaling protested. Between keeping up with city politics, organizing the rebellion, running missions for her mother, and planning with Ru on secretly taking down the very movement they were working for, Yaling had no time for herself or for anyone else. In her mind, Toph was a distraction from all that. She wanted someone else to focus on for a little while, or, if things went really well, for a longer while.</p><p>“Just say you wanna hookup with her and I’ll leave you alone. We don’t need you falling in love with her just for her to humiliate our mother and leave the city.” Ru said, testing her sister. Ru knew very well by now that Yaling had a tendency to get swept off her feet by girls and get her heart broken. Her observational skills were always picking up small details about people, and Toph didn’t strike Ru as a very romantic girl, or someone that would want to pursue a relationship. Yaling dramatically groaned.</p><p>“Yes, sure. Can this be over, I need to do some stuff for mom.” Yaling turned and started to walk away, then turned back to Ru who was still standing with raised eyebrows. “Oh, don’t tell her about my lessons.”</p><p>“Trust me, I won’t.” Ru said softly. Yaling walked down the hall and held up her hand. Ru stood and watched her stomp down the tiled corridor and didn’t turn until she saw Yaling’s dress swing out of sight. Ru sighed and walked to her room. She knew what was coming next. Yaling was going to fall head over heels for this girl and quite possibly ruin their own plans to take down their mother.</p><p>Yaling closed her door and took a deep breath leaning her back against the wood. Yes, she knew and understood her sister’s concern. Toph could use her to try and get to her mother or the rebellion and ruin she and Ru’s plan, but she could also have no interest in any of that and just be down for a summer romance. Yaling devised a plan to win over Toph. Keeping her in Cranefish Town would be simple: as long as the Avatar was there she would be there too. As long as there was still some problem for the Avatar to fixate on, he would not leave, and judging on her mother’s plans for the rebellion, the problem would not go away anytime soon.</p><p>As far as actually “winning her over”, Yaling was sure there would be no problem. She was confident in her looks and- wait. Toph was blind.</p><p>“You dumbass.” Yaling said to herself in the mirror across the room. She stood from leaning against the door and thought some more as she flopped on her bed. Toph could definitely “see” people, she could feel their weight on the earth and use the vibrations of their movements to get a general image, but how could she imagine eye color, a smile, notice a blush or small changes in body language? Suddenly, Yaling felt less confident in her flirting abilities. How could she flirt with someone who literally couldn’t see? She’s just have to talk it up and impress Toph with her earthbending. That wouldn’t be a problem.</p><p>Yaling reached out and shut her eyes, a small chunk of rock flying off her desk into her outstretched hand. She spun the rock in her hand and brought her other hand to feel the earth. She pictured Toph, starting with her head. As Yaling ran her thumbs over the top of the rock, small details etched into the earth. She wore a tunic and shirt, metal bracelets, baggy short pants, feet coverings...her hair was messily pulled back into a bun, she had some sort of headband...a soft looking face. Her arms and legs were strong, muscle definition present. Yaling smiled and opened her eyes. In her hands was a rough looking statue of Toph. She examined her work. Yaling knew she was good, she had to be one of the best earthbenders in Cranefish Town.</p><p>She had started bending at a young age, and showed so much promise her mom sent her to an earth bending academy for a few years. There, Yaling learned the basics, progressed quickly, and became a star pupil. In those few short years, she became a master. Once she returned home to Ba Sing Se, she spent a few years helping out around the house with her sister and working as a guard at a startup factory.</p><p>When the war ended and her family moved to Cranefish Town, Ru and Yaling grew closer. The two were inseparable despite their difference of ability, but Yaling never saw Ru as weaker or naturally lesser than her, as the two knew their mother believed. Yaling sighed and set the statue on the table next to her bed. What would her mother say if she knew Yaling was going to meet Toph? She expected her daughters to follow her will all the time, which often left them to have no time for themselves.</p><p>Liling was a strict mother who didn’t show her daughters much love or praise unless it was directly related to successful missions. Since moving to Cranefish Town, Liling saw the opportunity to start something bigger than her and her daughters and dedicated all her efforts to restoring the natural order of bender supremacy. Her daughters had no real choice in the matter, it was their mother, and they were supposed to show her respect and support her. Yaling knew from the start that Ru was having second thoughts about the rebellion, and Yaling didn’t blame her. Ru was a non-bender, and everything their mother did was to oppress non-benders. Yaling would never forget that and never let their mother make any real progress.</p><p>In secrecy, she and her sister would discuss how to take away their mother’s power without her even recognizing that her downfall was due to her own daughters. They knew their work had to be done quietly and slowly, as to not cause any suspicion. So, if Liling knew her daughter was meeting with the Avatar’s friend, she would definitely figure that something was up. The sisters didn’t want their mother taken down from the outside, they wanted to do it themselves. Letting the Avatar and his friends in on the operation would just further complicate things. Their mother was misguided, cold, and not that great of a mother, but she was still a person. Yaling and Ru wanted to deal with her themselves.</p><p>Yaling stretched on the bed and pushed the thoughts of taking her mother down out of her head. She was trying to keep herself calm and at peace, focus on the happier moments of life. She took a deep breath and pictured Toph’s face again. All that was left was to wait for tomorrow morning. Then, she would get to know Toph. In the meantime, touching up on some complicated earthbending forms would serve Yaling well for the morning. She sprung up and walked out to the courtyard.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Evidence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Toph is a genius.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Toph had to admit, she was surprised when Yaling called out to her asking for metalbending lessons, but she was never one to turn down a student. She recognized Yaling’s footsteps and voice from the night before and knew the earth bender and her sister were somehow connected to the factory explosion, but knew if she told the group, they would go about trying to peacefully solve the problem rather than bashing heads. </p><p>Additionally, Toph had heard the sisters talking in the other room before they entered in to join the group. She recalled the conversation.</p><p>“Yaling, I don’t like these missions anymore.” Ru had whispered to her sister. </p><p>“I’m right there with you. I don’t think mom is going about this the right way.” Yaling responded. </p><p>“We need to figure out a way to-“ Ru started, and was interrupted by their mother in the other room.</p><p>“Yaling? Will you join us? Bring your sister too.” Liling called out from the room into the hallway. Toph heard Ru sigh. </p><p>“Second as always.” She complained. Toph could feel the sadness in her voice.</p><p>“Just go along with it. A little longer.” Yaling whispered as they started walking out. Toph listened intently. She recognized the footsteps, noticed how the two sisters fixed their demeanor right before they came into the room, and had the family dynamic figured out in a matter of minutes. </p><p>The sisters didn’t believe in their mother’s rebellion and only went along with her plans out of fear. Ru disliked being treated second and Yaling disliked being treated as merely a muscle for her mother’s operations. </p><p>Toph pitied them, she knew how it felt to be used, but was disappointed that they wouldn’t rebel and speak their minds. She was confident in her conclusions, Toph learned young that indecisiveness is a weakness. So, when Yaling asked for lessons, Toph accepted for two reasons: one, she was intrigued by the girl, and two, she knew that Yaling truly was interested. If she was doing it for any other reason, perhaps to isolate Toph and attack her, Toph would’ve immediately known. So, she agreed. </p><p>The discussion ended with Liling, and the gang was on the way out. Toph considered the evidence she had picked up and wondered how to proceed. Intervening or cornering Yaling and Ru most likely wouldn’t be that productive, she had to find a way to talk to the two before any more damage was done. Toph tried to think of the big picture.</p><p>As she walked down the steps, she listened to bits of the sisters’ discussion until she was out of range. This would be interesting. </p><p>The gang walked through the late afternoon streets of the town, people out and the streets bustling with activity in the glowing light. They almost seemed like a normal group of teens, joking around and smiling together. Nobody knew just how powerful they really were. </p><p>Toph felt the sun on her face and guessed it was a pretty clear day. She felt the people walking around them for blocks in advance, felt the tunnels and basements under the main streets, and felt the entire shoreline alive with activity. She might not be able to see with her eyes, but honestly, she didn’t want to or need to.</p><p>While the rest of the gang discussed plans for uniting Cranefish Town, Toph ignored their wishy washy plans and formulated her own. She would team up with the sisters and crush the rebellion from the inside, that is, if she could get the information she needed out of Yaling. Toph was just going off what her earthbending skills had observed, which could sometimes rarely be incorrect. She would never admit that, though. </p><p>Yaling supposedly wanted peace, as did Toph, as did everyone else. Anyone that stood in their way would get bashed. That easy. She smiled to herself, thinking about teaching Yaling. The girl showed promise in her bending abilities, and Toph could feel the energy that came from her hands when she fixed the statue. She had big hands, and was pretty tall too. </p><p>Toph couldn’t get that detailed of a look at her, as she didn’t bend much, and was probably freshly washed, so there was no dirt on her body to allow Toph to map out her physical features. Still, Toph liked the way the girl carried herself. She was confident, maybe a bit too much, but it was hot. As the group walked down the street, Toph cared less and less about whatever they were talking about and focused on Yaling. Her voice was deep, she liked it when Yaling had called her Sifu…</p><p>“Toph!” Sokka yelled.</p><p>“Huh? What?” Toph shook Yaling from her thoughts. The whole group was staring at her. </p><p>“You’re not deaf now, are you?” Sokka joked. </p><p>“You wish.” Toph shot back.</p><p>“Are you good with eating out tonight?” Katara asked, “That’s what we’ve been discussing.”</p><p>“Uhh, I’ll just eat at the house. I have an early start tomorrow, I’m teaching a cocky earth bender that I’m the only metalbender in this town.” Toph responded. </p><p>“Oh yeah, what was all that about? I saw you and that girl talking, what’s her deal?” Katara said in a knowing tone while she nudged Toph’s arm. Katara and Toph had gotten closer since the war ended, the two built a beautiful friendship. Toph came to Katara with all her girl problems, and Toph was there to support Katara whenever she wanted to talk about her conflicts with Aang or others she was involved with. Toph rolled her eyes. </p><p>“I’m just teaching her! She wants to learn metalbending, I happen to be the inventor of metalbending, done deal.” Toph shrugged while Katara snickered. They started walking down the street again.</p><p>“She’s pretty good looking. Really tall, too. I’d say she’s your type.” Katara teased, poking at Toph’s shoulder. Behind the two, Sokka laughed. </p><p>“Sifu Toph! Teach me please!” Sokka fake bowed to Aang, who was in hysterics at Sokka’s impression of Yaling. He got down on his knees and grabbed Aang’s hand. “I’ll be a good stud- OW!” Sokka shot up in the air as Toph bent a chunk of earth into his rear. </p><p>“Ok! Fine, I’ll admit that I’m the tiniest bit attracted to her. Just shut up already.” Toph blushed and Katara smiled. </p><p>“Aww, Toph’s got a crush!” Katara threw an arm over Toph’s shoulders. Aang giggled and helped Sokka up.</p><p>“Katara!” Toph warned.</p><p>“Hey! She seems nice, and so does her mom. I’m sure councilwomen Liling is going to help us with this division.” Aang offered up, always trying to settle the air. Toph recalled the conversation she heard earlier, she had to at least warn the gang what was up with Liling. </p><p>“Don’t trust her. She’s involved in making the division worse.” Toph casually stated. The group froze, all shocked by the conclusion Toph had drawn. </p><p>“What? How?” Sokka confusedly yelled. Toph sighed. She hated explaining herself to people, she wished everyone could just be on her level. But this deserved the explanation, there was no way for anyone to tell what Liling was up to.</p><p>“Before Yaling and Ru came in the room, I heard them talking about how they didn’t like running missions for their mom anymore. And as soon as they walked in the room, I recognized their footsteps from last night at the factory explosion.” </p><p>Everyone stopped walking and settled in a circle around Toph, intrigued by what she had to say. </p><p>“And when I asked Yaling about the cliff she was at last night, she lied, and her mom got super tense.” Toph presented the evidence, the rest of the gang following along. “My thoughts? Liling is involved in the underground bender supremacy movement and she’s using Yaling and Ru to do her dirty work.” The gang stood around Toph, shocked and impressed. </p><p>“How do you-“ Sokka started.</p><p>“I know I’m right.” Toph defended her claims. She didn’t like to be wrong or lead her friends in a wrong direction, or on a hunch with no evidence. “And by teaching Yaling tomorrow, I can get more information on what her mother is planning. Yaling wants peace, so does Ru. Just give me tomorrow to prove it.” Toph ginned and crossed her arms.</p><p>“Holy shit Toph.” Katara said. “Remind me how we existed as a gang without you?” </p><p>“You probably struggled a lot more.” Toph laughed. Katara put her arm around the earth bender’s shoulders again and they continued walking. Aang and Sokka formulated a response if and when Toph got the information to take down Liling. The town was still bustling, not noticing anything out of the ordinary.</p><p>“Seriously, thank you.” Katara said softly. </p><p>“I’m just glad to help. Justice needs to be upheld in places like this.” Toph patted Katara’s hand. </p><p>“It does.” Katara sighed. “But don’t forget to take time for yourself. Yaling seems to really like you.” Katara smiled and squeezed Toph’s shoulder. Toph blushed. </p><p>“You know what? I’ll find out for sure tomorrow. Thanks, Katara.” Toph lightly punched her in the side. </p><p>“Suki!” Sokka hollered behind them, plowing in between Katara and Toph to run toward the Kyoshi warrior. Katara laughed as he practically leaped into Suki’s arms, and Toph sighed. Gross, PDA. She felt Aang and Katara shift closer to each other, felt Suki and Sokka kiss, and felt nobody by her side. </p><p>“Well, I’m outta here.” Toph pronounced as she fake gagged, drawing a chuckle from Aang. She walked to her dad’s factory to help Satoru, who was just as wrecked as the machines.</p><p>Ever since she turned eighteen and inherited a share of the factory, she and her dad had become business partners, which was a start to rebuilding their relationship. Toph appreciated his willingness to accept her as she was, but still knew he had a lot more to work on before they had a healthy relationship. </p><p>Toph found Satoru fiddling around with broken bits of the machines, so she helped fix them up for him. While bending chunks of metal into the massive blast hole, Toph asked Satoru about the government in Cranefish Town. He filled her in on all the shady deals and behind the scenes threats and exchanges. Toph knew her job was about to get more complicated if she and the gang wanted to fix any problems. She thanked Satoru for the information, and turned to retire back to the house next to the factory. </p><p>“Hey Toph?” Satoru called back, tossing a wrench in his hand. Toph turned. “Thanks, and be careful around those people. They always have a secret agenda.” </p><p>“I will be. I appreciate it, Satoru.” Toph smiled and walked out of the factory, wondering if Yaling would try to double cross her. She hoped not, or else they would have some issues.</p>
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